The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

County board relaxes COVD-19 rules

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The Pasco County Commission has changed its rules and is now allowing a limited number of members of the public to attend its meetings in person.

The board voted on May 4 to allow up to 18 people from the public to be in the board’s chambers during meetings at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City, and up to 30 members of the public to be in the board room at the government center in New Port Richey.

The board adopted that change before Gov. Ron DeSantis lifted COVID-19 requirements imposed by local governments, so it is unclear how the governor’s order will affect the board’s action.

In adopting the new rules, the board noted the maximum capacity limitations will be posted on signage outside of the board rooms and could change over time, based on the most current public health agency recommendations.

The amended rules also allow for the county administrator or designee to impose additional rules for use of the county’s board rooms through posted signage, including any required ingress/egress points for each board room.

At the time of adoption, the county attorney recommended masks be worn inside the board room.

The amended rules continue to allow other public participation options — email, WebEx and public comment kiosk — but also allow the county administrator or chair to close the kiosk, if it is not needed for overflow capacity and if no one shows up at the kiosk within 10 minutes of the morning or afternoon meeting start time.

Published May 12, 2021

Art exhibit reveal planned for Dade City

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When these artworks are unveiled — they, quite literally — will bring some heart to downtown Dade City.

The public art exhibition is being organized by the Dade City Center for the Arts (DCCA), a 501c3 nonprofit that’s working to increase public art and art events in the city.

The showcase planned for May 15, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature the installation of 14 large, 3D metal heart sculptures built by Pasco-Hernando State College welding students and painted by local artists.

The Dade City Center for the Arts (DCCA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance the environment of Dade City through the arts and art events. The group provides opportunities for artists to showcase their talents in Dade City through community outreach and collaboration with Pasco-Hernando State College, Saint Leo University and area businesses. (File)

Funding support for the project came from local businesses and donors.

The free “Take Heart!” art, music and food event will take place at Agnes Lamb Park, 14200 Ninth St., in Dade City.

The permanent heart sculptures will be placed throughout city-owned parks and along the Hardy Trail that runs through historic downtown.

The painted hearts measure approximately 36 inches by 36 inches by 4 inches, attached to steel posts secured to the ground, to withstand inclement weather and other conditions.

Artwork patterns differ on each heart structure, but generally include positive visual representations of joy, hope, love and beyond.

Event-goers will have the opportunity to meet several of the artists who painted the heart sculptures.

Other highlights will include arts & crafts vendors, a scavenger hunt, live music and DJ, and Saint Leo University’s new food truck, The Hungry Lion.

“It’s one of the rare opportunities the public actually gets to meet the artists who have created these masterpieces that our community gets to enjoy permanently, so it’s a chance for the family and children to meet real artists, working artists,” said DCCA vice president Lee Taylor.

The vibrant fixtures also feature QR codes that direct people to DCCA’s website, to learn more about the artist who painted the particular piece, and where to find more of their work.

“Those QR codes are really fun, because you can read about them and that’s fun to know why an artist was inspired to do what they did,” Taylor said.

Since forming last summer, the DCCA had ongoing discussions about ways to introduce art into the community.

Its team of seven on the board of directors settled on permanent public art sculptures, something other municipalities have introduced to their respective communities.

“Melbourne has turtles, Lakeland has swans and Chicago has bulls, and we thought, ‘What a great way for Dade City to kind of jump into the arena,” explained Taylor, a longtime public school arts teacher who also co-owns Out of Our Hands Gallery in downtown Dade City with her husband, Russ.

The group landed on heart-shaped figures, given Dade City’s official seal includes a heart shape surrounded by kumquats in its center. The city also assumes the moniker, “The Heart of Pasco County.”

Said Taylor, “We all came into instant agreement on the heart idea and thought that would be a great way to appeal to the city, the residents and also to the town council, ‘It’s in your logo, so how can you not say yes?’”

The initiative received official approval by the Dade City Commission in September.

An outdoor public art walk is planned for May 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Agnes Lamb Park, in Dade City. The ‘Take Heart’ event will showcase 14 large, 3D metal hearts built by welding students at Pasco-Hernando Community College and painted by local artists. There also will be other arts & crafts vendors, a scavenger hunt, live music, a food truck and more. (Courtesy of Dade City Center for the Arts)

Multiple commissioners at the time expressed enthusiasm about the project as a way to increase the area’s aesthetic for photo and marketing opportunities, foster community pride, and otherwise encourage residents and visitors alike to stroll throughout city limits.

Taylor underscored the importance of such community art projects: “We know the impact that art has on communities because it gives the residents of that community a sense of pride in their city, they rally around it and say, ‘Come look at us.’ It gives the town an opportunity to market itself as a place to come visit, to embrace the arts. It encourages people to be outside, and we all want that, especially to promote health and well-being.”

Since commission approval, the organization put out a call for regional artists.

Entries were received from all ages, backgrounds, amateurs and professionals alike, Taylor said. From there, the committee picked 14 artists to participate and complete the project.

Aside from heart-shaped sculptures, the DCCA has other ideas for other community art initiatives, too.

This past October, they facilitated a painted hay bale project at various park locations, which drew participation from families, teachers, students and others of various ages.

The DCCA also has discussed more professional mural projects for the city’s downtown area.

Similar to the heart sculptures, the DCCA would similarly arrange for a mural’s funding and labor, pending city approval.

If and when a mural program gets the OK, Taylor said the group will likely solicit help from more established artists, as such an undertaking is “a big deal.”

For information, visit DadeCityArts.com, call (352) 437-3204, or email .

Published May 12, 2021

Environmental committee appointments approved

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The Pasco County Commission has approved the following reappointments to the county’s Environmental Lands Acquisition Committee:

  • A one-year reappointment of Patty Fesmire
  • A two-year reappointment of Janie Howie
  • A three-year reappointment of Josh McCart
  • A three-year reappointment of Mona Neville

The committee consists of 11 volunteer members, according to background materials in the board’s agenda packet.

Five members shall have, at a minimum, a bachelor’s degree in the natural and/or environmental sciences. These five members also shall comprise the Scientific Subcommittee. Four other members shall have expertise in at least one of the following fields: real estate, business, or finance. One member shall have expertise in governmental affairs (with an emphasis in funding sources). One member shall be a layperson with interest in the land acquisition program.

The committee cannot have more than three members who do not live in Pasco County.

Another committee vacancy will occur soon, as Mac Davis has opted not to seek reappointment.

That leaves a position open for someone with expertise in real estate, business, and/or finance, which the Natural Resources Division intends to fill soon.

Published May 12, 2021

Leaders tour new research center site

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Leaders from Moffitt Cancer Center, Lennar, and Metro Development Group recently toured the Central Pasco site that is planned to become home to a massive research and innovation district — as well as to one of the West Central Florida region’s newest live-work-play communities.

H. Lee Moffitt, left, reviews a map of Angeline with Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center. At right is Metro Development Group CEO John Ryan. (Courtesy of Moffitt Cancer Center)

As plans for the new Angeline mixed-use community continue to take shape — H. Lee Moffitt, founder of Moffitt Cancer Center; Dr. Patrick Hwu, CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center; John Ryan, CEO of Metro Development Group; and Mark Metheny, division president of Lennar Central Florida toured the property on April 22 — riding in off-road vehicles along trails and dirt roads, according to a news release.

Angeline — which is being billed as a wellness-themed community — will be developed on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Moffitt plans to create a massive research and corporate innovation district that is expected to become a life sciences destination for the world.

Moffitt is working closely with the project developer, Metro Development Group, and the lead homebuilder, Lennar.

In the first phase, Moffitt will construct 128,000 square feet for a corporate business park, generating approximately 430 full-time jobs, the release says.

Once the Suncoast Parkway-Ridge Road Extension intersection is built, the first phase is expected to be complete in five years.

Plans for the Angeline community, which spans 6,200 acres, include a variety of homes from leading homebuilders for 30,000 new residents, a 150-acre regional park, Crystal Lagoon and beach, village center featuring restaurants and retail, and 3,600-plus acres of natural, undeveloped green space with an extensive trail network that could span up to 100 miles, the release says.

“Touring the Pasco campus for the first time only solidified how incredible this endeavor will be,” Moffitt’s CEO Hwu said, in the release.

He is meeting with biotech companies and other potential partners to be involved in the Moffitt facility.

“We foresee a first-of-its-kind campus with patient care, research, biotech, wellness, digital innovation and ultimately cures,” Hwu adds, in the release.

He also talked with the Metro Development Group and Lennar leaders about how the growth opportunity created by Moffitt’s new Pasco County location was one of the major reasons he decided to join Moffitt as CEO last year.

Site entitlements for Moffitt’s project, which encompass 24 million square feet, include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

At the site visit, Metro Development Group shared initial ideas for the surrounding mixed-use master-planned community and amenities to complement Moffitt’s expansion campus, according to the release.

Leaders discussed potential synergies, such as researchers working with students at a STEM magnet school.

Here is a look at the progress being made on the Ridge Road extension, at the site that is part of a massive development being planned for a Pasco campus of the Moffitt Cancer Center. In addition to research facilities, the new community of Angeline will feature neighborhoods and an array of amenities.

Angeline will have a focus on being a wellness community, with fitness trails and recreation areas that would benefit those who live and work on campus, as well as cancer patients and survivors. The community will be built with a digital infrastructure to provide high-speed connectivity indoors and outdoors, the release says.

“We are proud to partner with Moffitt and Lennar on this forward-thinking project,” John Ryan of Metro Development Group, added in the release. “At Metro, we are known for creating healthy places for residents to live and work, and being aligned with Moffitt is a great fit in this regard.”

“We are very excited to be one of the first builders selected for Angeline, and look forward to providing a great product for the residents of Angeline and Pasco County,” said Lennar’s Metheny.

On the same day that the tour was taking place, Dr. Timothy Kubal was talking about the Moffitt Cancer Center at Wesley Chapel, where he is senior medical director, during a Zoom economic development briefing with members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce.

During his talk, Kubal mentioned that the tour of the cancer hospital’s new Pasco site, which included Moffitt’s CEO, was happening on the same day.

“We bought a massive amount of space — 775 acres, Suncoast Parkway, Ridge Road extension,” Kubal said, noting the need for that site “arises out of a need for space.”

Plans for the site, he said, are not “100% fleshed out yet, because it is so early.”

However, he added: “We’re going to keep growing because we’ve got a 25-acre footprint that is old.

“We need to be able to offer all of these different services in different places.

“So, we’re growing — we’re going to grow north, south, east, west — and we’re looking to grow with the community,” Kubal said.

Published May 05, 2021

Federal help sought for sewer project

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The City of Zephyrhills is pursuing federal dollars to help pay for a new master lift station located in the vicinity of Otis Allen Road and 23rd Street.

The project — yet to be designed — calls for a new duplex master lift station with provisions to be upgraded to a triplex station when needed; an emergency generator; and, 17,000 linear feet of 8-inch and 10-inch HPDE (High Density Polyethylene) force main piping.

Zephyrhills is requesting $1.5 million in federal funding, which equates to 37.5% of the overall cost of the estimated $4 million project.

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe (File)

Zephyrhills City Manager Billy Poe said the opportunity to secure federal dollars comes about as federal lawmakers recently reinstated the process of earmarking for local governments and nonprofits, otherwise referred to as community project funding.

With that, an approved congressional request package has been sent to the office of U.S. Rep Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, who’s told city leaders he will offer his support for the project through the legislative budgeting process.

The action approving the latest drafted package for the congressman’s office came during an April 26 regular meeting of the Zephyrhills City Council.

Zephyrhills has not been given a time frame regarding when they will know whether their grant request has been approved.

However, the plans to move ahead on the project are not contingent on receiving the federal money, Poe said. It will need to evaluate other funding options, if the federal request is denied, he said.

Based on prepared documents, the municipality looks to have the project’s design and bidding process complete by January, which includes determining the location of the station and the best route for the piping.

If on track from there, construction is expected to begin sometime in February and run through December, with the project being fully online and operational by January 2023.

Poe explained the need for the project, in a memo to council members.

The city’s existing wastewater infrastructure is at capacity and cannot accommodate additional flow from the north side of the city to the advanced wastewater treatment facility on the south side of the city, Poe explained in the memo.

The initiative is intended to assist with wastewater systems improvements to allow the city to balance wastewater flow, to provide water quality protection, and to support water supply needs in the Hillsborough River Basin.

The proposed improvements include a force main and associated lift stations that will allow the city to take approximately 200 residents off either septic systems or aging package plant facilities and instead send this wastewater flow to the city’s AWT (Advanced Wastewater Treatment) plant.

Poe and other city officials also said the project will ensure that future development will connect to centralized wastewater disposal facilities, therefore preventing installation of future septic systems and package plants near sensitive ecosystems.

In simpler terms, Poe said, “This will help to accommodate growth and take some pressure off the existing system.”

The City of Zephyrhills is seeking a $1.5 million federal grant for a new master lift station in the vicinity of Otis Allen Road and 23rd Street.

Councilman Ken Burgess supports the improvement, saying, “I think this is a much-needed project.”

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce and the Zephyrhills Economic Development Coalition also sent letters to Bilirakis, supporting the project.

In part, Melonie Monson, chamber director, wrote: “East Pasco County, including the Zephyrhills community, is experiencing accelerated growth in recent years, and is poised to become the number one place to live. The addition of this new lift station would grant future development the ability to connect to the city wastewater with confidence and ease.

“We know you recognize the need to move away from old septic systems, which could hold potential risk, and into a streamlined and safe wastewater disposal system. It is important for our city to offer adequate infrastructure to its residents and this wastewater system improvement and would be a step in that direction. We applaud our state and city leaders who are working to better our community.

“We ask for your support in this effort to improve the amazing community in which we live, work and play,” Monson concluded.

Other updates shared during the council meeting, included:

  • Work on the Zephyrhills Municipal Airport runway extension 1-19 project officially began in mid-April, with completion expected sometime around November or December.
  • New mast arm traffic signals are now set to be erected as part of the U.S. 301, Pretty Pond and Townview shopping center intersection project.
  • Walls are up on a standalone Chick-fil-A franchise, with an anticipated opening in late July or early August, at 7490 Gall Blvd.
  • Construction is moving forward on a standalone Chipotle franchise, though there is not a known time frame for opening, at 7642 Gall Blvd.

Published May 05, 2021

Pasco schools seek ‘near-normal’

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As the Pasco County public school district wraps up an academic year that was anything but normal, Superintendent Kurt Browning hopes things will be different in the 2021-2022 term.

Browning discussed his hopes for the district, along with a full range of other topics, during a webinar hosted last week by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, as part of its Business Development Year series.

“This year has been incredibly challenging,” Browning told those listening.

“Whoever knew … when everything got shut down (in March 2020) that we would literally be shut down for the fourth quarter and that we’d still be dealing with COVID … more than a year later,” the superintendent said.

Browning praised district teachers, administrators and staff for making rapid adaptations to conduct the rest of last school year virtually.

Then, he said, the district made more adjustments before the 2020-2021 year began to create a new option called mySchool Online. That option has allowed students to learn virtually, following a normal school schedule — being taught remotely by teachers.

When the 2021-2022 school year begins, Browning said mySchool Online will be discontinued. Students will either return to school campuses for in-person learning or learn remotely through Pasco eSchool.

MySchool Online, Browning acknowledged, “had its challenges.”

“We’ve had some students that have been very successful on it. I will tell you that we’ve had some students that have not been very successful,” he said.

Concerns about students lagging behind prompted the district to make an all-out push in an effort to persuade parents of those struggling students to return them to campus.

Some parents simply refused, Browning said.

That’s concerning, the district leader said, because “the performance this year is certainly going to set them up for future success. We just want to make sure our kids are prepared, going forward into the next grade level.”

As of last week, details were still being worked out regarding the summer instructional program and the upcoming school year.

Browning wants to reintroduce activities that were diminished or curtailed by COVID-19.

“Kids need some sense of normalcy. They need to have their clubs. They need to have athletics. They need to have their dances. They need to have the social interaction with other students,” Browning said.

“And so, we are going to try to have as normal of a school opening as we possibly can, starting in August,” Browning said.

At the same time, the district will take guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will work closely with the Department of Health-Pasco County, he said.

Social isolation, mental health
Browning said he doesn’t consider himself a “touchy-feely” type of guy. But added: “I have been very concerned about the mental well-being of our kids this year.”

When students are learning remotely, they don’t have the safety nets that schools provide, he said.

“Teachers can’t physically lay their eyes on these kids. They can’t see that they’re dirty.

“They can’t see that they’ve got bruises on their arms.

“They can’t see that they’re thinner because maybe they’re not eating.

“At least when they were face-to-face, they could see some things. Teachers could let their administrators know. We could make phone calls. We could do a wellness check with the family. We could provide food. We could provide clothing.

“Not only that, we could provide hope.

“What we found through COVID is that some parents have just not had any hope.”

“My heart just breaks when I hear about these kids that are struggling,” Browning said.

He then told those listening to the webinar about a call he received from a fellow superintendent — who told him two students in that district had committed suicide.

A few weeks later, Browning said, he learned of a Pasco student who had committed suicide and then, a couple of weeks later, another student did.

“I don’t know all of the underlying circumstances to what brought that kid to make that decision,” Browning said. Then, he reiterated: “I have been concerned about the mental well-being of our kids.”

Browning touched on some other topics, too.

In response to a question, he said he expects COVID-19 to have a negative impact on the district’s graduation rate.

He also told listeners that the district will be opening its Starkey Ranch K-8 school in the fall. Located in the Starkey community, off State Road 54, it is the district’s first school specifically designed for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

The school is expected to have about 1,000 elementary school students and 600 middle school students.

The campus will have a facility that has been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

The TLC will accommodate public library for patrons and students. It also will have a 250-seat theater and three makerspaces.

Michael Francis, conductor for the Florida Orchestra, has been helping the district with its arts planning for the campus, Browning said.

On another topic, the superintendent told the crowd that unlike many districts across the state, Pasco is projected to experience growth in the coming year.

The district also has been included in a 10-county intensive reading pilot project, which will allow the district to provide some intensive literacy help.

Although Browning expects the district to fare well, overall, in terms of the state budget, he said the district needs to improve salaries overall, but teacher salaries, in particular.

“It really is tough work out there, and with some of the other districts out there having additional sources of revenue that we don’t have, it makes it difficult to compete with those other districts,” Browning said.

Published May 05, 2021

Local company is expanding with 100,000-square-foot building

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A new 100,000-square-foot building, representing an $8 million investment in Pasco County, is being built in Compark 75 — just off Wesley Chapel Boulevard.

The expansion was celebrated in an April 9 groundbreaking ceremony, with Jerry Flatt, CEO of The Soule Co., offering remarks about the company’s expansion. He also expressed appreciation for the role that the Pasco Economic Development Council Inc., the Pasco County Commission and Pasco County government have played in helping the company to thrive and grow.

Pasco County Commissioners Mike Moore and Kathryn Starkey joined representatives from the Pasco County Economic Development Council Inc., Pasco County government and The Soule Co., to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony last month. A new 100,000-square-foot building is being constructed by The Soule Co. (Courtesy of Pasco Economic Development Council Inc.)

The company — which manufactures packaging materials and also medical foam cushioning — is located at 4322 Pet Lane, in Lutz. That facility will continue operations and will be joined by the new 100,000-square-foot building that is being constructed nearby.

The Soule Co., has two divisions: One fabricates packaging products made to customer specifications; the other fabricates disposable foam positioning products for the medical community.

The professional packaging division distributes a full line of packaging and shipping supplies, including corrugated boxes, poly bags, strapping, stretch films, and tapes, among others.

The medical division works closely with medical entities to design, develop, manufacture and distribute products that assist in patient care, recovery and healing.

The Pasco County Commission approved an economic incentive package worth $177,172 in August 2020, to support the company’s plans.

The incentive package includes $50,000 for creating 25 new jobs; a five-year reimbursement of tangible taxes, which totals $107,171; and, an employee training grant of $20,000 for Pasco-based employees.

The project is expected to generate $4.69 million annually in gross county product, county officials have estimated.

Flatt gave the crowd a brief overview of the company’s history, during the groundbreaking celebration that was recorded and can be viewed on the Pasco EDC’s Facebook Page.

This is what the new 100,000-square-foot building, now under construction by The Soule Co., will look like at completion. The company expects to add at least 25 new jobs.

When the company was established in 1957, it originally produced insulation and decorative foam, such as the type used by florists, the company executive said.

Shortly before 1980, Soule shifted to the packaging industry, he said.

“Then, in about 1986, we began our medical division, and right now, the packaging division and the medical division are working under the same roof, at the facility that’s right around the corner here on Pet Lane,” Flatt said.

He told those gathered at the ceremony: “It’s an exciting time for Soule company, with the expansion of our operation.”

The foam products produced by the company’s medical division is used to position patients and keep them safe during surgeries, he said.

“That part of our business is growing very rapidly,” he said, adding that’s because “we’re able to sell that product all over the country.”

He continued: “We typically have agreements with group purchasing organizations and under those organizations, they have a great number of hospitals. They do the purchasing and get the best deals for those hospitals.

“So that’s where the expansion is needed right now,” Flatt said.

The company has many agreements in place, but needs to hold back on them a little while, until it is able to take on the additional business.

Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore said he’s pleased to see additional jobs being created in Pasco.

County leaders want to create employment opportunities locally, so workers won’t have to leave their communities to drive for work in Hillsborough or Pinellas counties, Moore said.

Mike Bishop, director of stakeholder engagement for Pasco EDC, said “the expansion work with the Soule company is one of the most important things that we do at the EDC.”

The economic development agency seeks to help companies get started, become established and expand, Bishop said.

Published May 05, 2021

Pasco hires a federal lobbyist to act on its behalf

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The Pasco County Commission has selected Van Scoyoc Associates, of Washington D.C., to be the county’s federal lobbyist.

Commissioners considered proposals submitted by Van Scoyoc Associates and Gray Robinson — with each commissioner scoring the proposals individually. When the scores were tallied,  Van Scoyoc received the higher mark.

In approving the selection of Van Scoyoc Associates Inc., commissioners also authorized County Administrator Dan Biles to execute a contract with the firm in an amount not to exceed $90,000 for fiscal year 2021.

Commissioner Mike Moore wasn’t sold on the idea of hiring either firm — not because of their capabilities, but because he’s not convinced that having a federal lobbyist is the best expenditure of the taxpayer’s money.

“I still have concerns seeing what our lack of return on investment was last time,” Moore said.

“I know there are earmarks — that the current president has added earmarks again, so there’s possibility of getting things. I just want to make sure that we’re going to get the best return on our investment for our citizens.”

He asked his commission colleagues: “Do you guys honestly feel that it’s worth us making this hire?”

When she advocated for the county to hire both a state and a federal lobbyist last fall, Commissioner Kathryn Starkey argued the investment would bring dividends back to the county.

She hasn’t changed her mind.

“I chair the federal committee at Florida Association of Counties, and I’ve interacted with other counties’ federal lobbyists and heard all of the things they’ve done for other counties,” she said.

“There are counties in the state that have multiple federal lobbyists,” Starkey added.

Such lobbyists can be valuable on federal issues, such as dredging, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s flood maps and transportation, Starkey said.

“There’s all kinds of ways — if we learned how to engage better, we could be effective in advocacy for things that are good for our county,” Starkey said.

But Moore said that wasn’t the case with the county’s last federal lobbyist.

“I don’t think we saw one dollar. We didn’t get anything. Let’s be honest. We got nothing,” Moore said.

Starkey responded: “I don’t think we utilized the resource as much as we could have, and I think that part is our fault. I think we need to learn how to use the resource better.”

Commissioner Jack Mariano agreed with Starkey.

“I think it’s very worthwhile,” Mariano said, noting he believes having a federal lobbyist is more important than having a state lobbyist.

He also noted that in this case, patience is a virtue.

“To invest in this, it can’t be a one-year deal. It takes time,” Mariano said. “It’s going to take a commitment for a few years, to get something back.”

Published May 05, 2021

Animal Services achieves ‘top’ status

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Pasco County Animal Services (PCAS) has been recognized for inspiring positive change, and helping pets and people in the community.

Human Animal Support Services (HASS) has named PCAS a Tier 1 shelter, according to a news release.

Spencer Conover, PCAS assistant director (Courtesy of Pasco County)

Subsequently, PCAS now officially will serve as a mentor and example for animal shelters throughout the country.

The HASS Tier 1 requirements include:

  • Reuniting lost pets with their owners
  • Resources for owners to keep pets
  • Resources for owners rehoming pets
  • Reducing length of shelter stays

PCAS already implements aspects of the HASS model through multiple events, including free microchip clinics and a pet food bank for residents in need.

“Supporting the human-animal bond is at the core of our mission,” said Spencer Conover, PCAS assistant director, in the release.

“We have presented our ideas to shelter directors and program investors nationwide, and we look forward to continuing as an ambassador for community-based animal sheltering,” said Conover.

HASS is a national coalition led by American Pets Alive! that focuses on reducing shelter intakes, and ensuring community support for people and their pets.

The group formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatened pet owners’ abilities to keep their pets, and led to more fostering and adoption.

Published May 05, 2021

Land O’ Lakes fire station construction approved

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The Pasco County Commission has approved spending nearly $4.8 million to construct Fire Station No. 42, that will be built at 11425 Silver Palm Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Board members approved the expenditure during their April 20 meeting.

The lowest responsive bidder on the project is Trias, which is a company located in Lutz.

The funding for the project is available from the GO Bond Capital Project Fund.

The specifications were prepared by Fleischman and Garcia Architects and Planners, AIA, PA.

On another issue, County Attorney Jeffrey Steinsnyder informed commissioners that a federal judge issued a favorable order in the case involving Sierra Club vs. Pasco County and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, relating to the Ridge Road extension project.

In essence, Steinsnyder said, “the Sierra Club had tried to amend their existing pleading to bring in the federal fish and wildlife agency and allege endangered species violations.

“The court, in a well-written order, said ‘No, you had an opportunity to bring these in your initial cases.

In part, Steinsnyder said, the judge’s order said “it would cause undue harm to Pasco County to continue to delay this project.

“Basically, she shut it down and said, ‘No, you’ve got to file your motion for summary judgment by a date in June, which pushes the briefing schedule out. But that’s probably the best we could have hoped for because she had to give them some time to file their motion,” Steinsnyder said.

Both sides are asking for summary judgment, he added.

In another item, commissioners approved a request by Salem Radio Properties to rezone 77.21 acres of agricultural land to allow 325 residential units in a master-planned development on the south side of Bud Bexley Parkway, about 600 feet west of Ballantrae Boulevard.

Published May 05, 2021